UPDATED:

February 20, 2009

 

Zambry: ‘Has Sivakumar acted according to the rules?’
Friday, 20 February 2009 07:12am
©The Star (Used by permission)

PANGKOR: Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir has challenged state Assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar to prove that suspending him had been done in accordance with the rules.

“He (Sivakumar) should check whether it had been right for him to do that,” Dr Zambry told reporters after a fishermen, livestock breeders and farmers programme on Thursday.

He accused Sivakumar, who heads the state’s Rights and Privileges Committee, of misusing his powers and acting beyond his jurisdiction.

On Sivakumar’s statement that he had failed to give any explanation to the inquiry by the committee, Dr Zambry again said: “That is a total lie.”

However, Dr Zambry appeared guarded when reporters tried to press him for comments after the function.

Asked if he would lodge a police report on the advice of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Dr Zambry said:

“Oh! We will definitely act according to the law. We are not acting on our whims and fancies.”

On Sivakumar saying that he and his exco members would be removed if they attend the next assembly sitting, Dr Zambry said:

“Well, we will act according to the law.”

To a question on whether he would move a motion during the assembly sitting, he said: “Do not anticipate anything right now.”

“What is important is that he (Sivakumar) has done what he has done and he needs to check if it was right.

“My main concern now is to work for the people as the mentri besar.”

Earlier, Dr Zambry told reporters at the state secretariat in Ipoh that this was all a “game” by Pakatan Rakyat, adding that they would take necessary action against Sivakumar.

He said he had attended the two-day inquiry out of respect to the Speaker, and urged the people not to worry as the government remained stable and intact.

Meanwhile, attempts to contact state legal adviser Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid has been futile.

February 19, 2009 MYT 5:00 PM:

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has asked Dr Zambry Abd Kadir to lodge a police report against state assembly speaker V. Sivakumar. The government has no plans to set up a constitutional court or special committee on the Federal Constitution. He said the existing laws and regulations are sufficient to deal with all constitutional issues and all high courts nationwide have jurisdiction to hear cases regarding such issues. The whole episode was a “comedy” because the decision by Sivakumar was “very ridiculous”.

NRI V. Sivakumar, Speaker of Perak state legislative assembly
suspend six state executive council members

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, Feb. 18, 2009
Sampuran Singh

V. Sivakumar, Speaker of the Perak state legislative assembly, has suspended Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and its six exco members. Sivakumar, in a statement, said:

• Dr Zambry and the six exco members have failed and did not give any explanation to the committee.
• They failed to offer any explanation on their actions of contempt for the House and hence have been found guilty as charged
• He has decided that Dr Zambry is, with immediate effect, suspended and barred from attending State Assembly sessions for 18 months
• The six exco members are barred for 12 months and their names are: Datuk Ramly Zahari, Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin, Dr Mah Hang Soon, Datuk Saarani Mohamad, Hamidah Osman and Mohd Zahir Abdul Khalid

Wong Kah Woh, Canning assemblyman, told the media:

• He had presented his case before the committee.
• He presented his complaint that Dr Zambry and his six ‘false’ excos had shown contempt for the House when they were sworn into the Assembly via unconstitutional means

Dr Zambry Abd Kadir told media that he was summoned yesterday and he is here again today. His exco member told that there was no exchange of heated arguments, the inquiry had gone with peace and after all they are professionals

Prof. Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi, a Malaysian Senior professor of law and faculties of law at the International Islamic University Malaysia, said:

• V. Sivakumar, the Perak legislative assembly Speaker has no power to suspend the menteri besar and his six executive councillors.
• The assembly had to sit and approve the suspension of any member.
• The assembly acts on the recommendation of the Privileges Committee.

Lawyer Datuk Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said:

• Zambry and his exco was not affected by the suspension.
• They should continue their job untill April as legislative assembly convene.
• The speaker disrespect the sultan AND disobeying the royal command

There is NO provision in the Perak State Constitution for REMOVAL of the Speaker of State Assembly, unlike that in the Federal and Selangor State Constitution through a vote of no confidence

In Perak, Barisan Nasional is stuck with the Speaker of the Legislative State Assembly from Pakatan Rakyat/DAP

V. Sivakumar

• V. Sivakumar is a Malaysian politician from the Democratic Action Party
• He is a Speaker of the Perak State Assembly.
• He was theNRI to become the speaker of a Malaysian legislative
• Sivakumar entered politics in 1997
• He served as political secretary to M. Kulasegaran He won ng the seat of Tronoh in the Perak State Assembly in the 2008 general election
• He holds a Bachelor's in Legal Philosophy and a Master's in Business Administration.